So many Flycatchers

With six pages of portraits -- I think this is a largest group of species in Costa Rica. Before I left a friend jokes -- if you don't know what it is, it is a Tanager... not so much, but that does describe Flycatchers.

Not all Flycatchers are called Flycatchers -- it is a group the is characterized by catching insects (not always flies) on the "fly" (in the air) - you can see this page features, Spadebill, Tyrannulet, Bentbill & Pygmy-Tyrant. Although these species are small they have a similar look to the species on the subsequent pages

Mistletoe Tyrannulet - when we first saw this species (which is tiny & flits around a LOT), Pat mentioned it was a difficult species to get a photo of. So I not only got a good photo -- but almost every time I saw one it was cooperative. That is why there are so many photos.

Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet - I still don't have a photo of it's Northern Cousin and it was raining when I took this shot. Sigh -- still on the lookout for a photo upgrade.

Again, species not all named "Flycatcher" - Tyrant, Pewee & a few Flycatchers

Olive-sided Flycatcher - another somewhat nemesis bird that shows up in Rhode Island every few years. This bird was perched in a tree on the Tarcoles river boat trip. I took the photo, but apparently didn't point the bird out to me guide. When I sent him to photos later saying I thought it might be an Olive-sided Flycatcher -- he concurred! YAY -- another life bird after I got home...almost as good as a couch bird.

Torrent Tyrannulet - a bird I spotted from the bus on the way back from the Quetzal stakeout. I was able to get everyone on it after Esteban identified it. Then the second one showed up and did a little displaying (mating ritual). This is on the Savagre River which I'm told is the 5th cleanest river in the world - Wikipedia says it is considered the cleanest in Costa Rica.

This is the page where I believe my concept for this guide finally came to life -- the six flycatchers on the left are very similar in body (although the size varies - hence the size indication) but the difference is in the bill and the configurations of "striped on the head". I recognized most of these on first sighting -- so I think it worked!

Boat-billed Flycatcher - very large bill - on birds when the bill is big, its a Boat!

Great Kiskadee - This was a life bird that I saw multiple times almost every day. Love this bird and its named after its call which is Kis-ka-dee (in case you were wondering).

Streaked Flycatcher -- kind of dull plumage (although the rain didn't help) but lots of personality.

Social Flycatcher - saw this species all the time -- so often, I did not take many photos. This was on the last full day. Whew -- at least I got one...

Gray-capped Flycatcher - Also saw this bird a lot, but later in the trip (mostly in the Caribbean lowlands, where it rained a lot).

Was lucky to see the Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher several times, but alas no photo. All the birds on this page have a modified attached to the Flycatcher moniker -- Tody, Silky and Scrub! The Silkys are the largest of the Flycatchers which are typically fairly petite.

Northern Scrub-Flycatcher -- I think by now you realize how much these birds look alike. Although I did ok identifying some of them. Many of them are not cooperative photo subjects and having a guide who knows them is critical!

Common Tody-Flycatcher - This species was a frequent one on my list but I did not get a lot of photos. We saw it at the Coast in the rainforest, the Central Valley and the Caribbean Lowlands

Another page of Flycatchers - this is the one page with lots of russet in the plumage (although it is sometimes called Ochre)

Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher - my first (except the Tropical Kingbird who doesn't have a portrait - not a life bird) Flycatcher. Only saw one of these on my first afternoon in Costa Rica in the gardens of my hotel.

Black-capped Flycatcher -- This might be my favorite Flycatcher -- small but so dramatic. Only one sighting on the trip on the way up the Talamanca mountains but enough to capture my heart.

More Flycatchers not called Flycatchers - Flatbill & Elaenia - prettier plumage than most Flycatchers.

Eye-ringed Flatbill - again just one sighting on the way back to the Central Valley. This bird was a very good subject.

Mountain Elaenia - Our last stop on the trip yielded just one species in a garden that used to have Hummingbird feeders. Still it was another life bird!

Yellow-olive Flatbill -- Although I had nine sightings of this species (the Coast & Central Valley) I only got one photo. I think at some point I stopped taking photo of Flycatchers, which in retrospect might have not been a good strategy.

I finished the trip with a new respect and appreciation of the little birds -- looking forward to seeing more of them the next time!